Solace
by CharmedOne24
Summary: Morgan and Garcia explore their relationship, as well as those of others on the team. Takes place immediately after 4x01 Mayhem. All of the characters will show up eventually.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: This is my first CM fanfic. Please let me know if you like it and if it's worth continuing. Thanks!**_

"Garcia? I'll tell you what you are to me. You're my God-given solace. Woman, you promise me one thing: whatever happens, don't you ever stop talking to me...." Morgan's words echoed in Penelope Garcia's ears as she began to cry.

"I can't right now 'cause I'm mad at you." She finally choked out.

"That's all right." At Derek's voice, she pulled her ear piece off and hung up the phone. She looked at her NYPD counterpart and quietly said she was leaving.

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

"Garcia? C'mon, Baby Girl…Open the door. It's Morgan." Penelope Garcia stared at her hotel room door blankly, hearing Morgan's voice, but not able to work up the courage to open the door. "Baby girl! Open the door or I'll break it down. I need to know you're okay. "

Garcia snapped out of her haze at the threat. "I told you, I can't talk to you right now. I'm still mad at you."

Morgan leaned outside the door and spoke carefully. "I know you're mad, darlin'. But I need you to listen, I need you to hear me out. Please open the door. You don't have to say anything to me. All you have to do is listen."

"I don't have to do anything, Derek! Leave me alone!"

"Baby…"

"Derek, let her be. You really scared her this time. Let me see if I can talk to her." J.J. quietly input, placing her hand carefully on his arm. "I don't need to be a profiler to tell that she's at her breaking point right now. Just let her be for now."

"JJ, she won't even speak to me." Morgan protested.

"Then maybe you should go back to your own room and think about why that bothers you so much. Let me talk to her for now." JJ said sweetly with a smirk.

"Urgh.. Fine! Just… tell her that I…Never mind. I'll tell her myself. LATER!" He raised his voice for the last word, making sure he could be heard through the door, before stalking angrily to his room.

JJ waited until he'd turned the corner before talking to the door herself. "He's gone, Pen. Can I come in?" After a few seconds the door cracked open. JJ immediately hugged her friend closely. "Are you okay?"

Garcia gave a small sob and shake of her head. "Jayje… I can't do this anymore. I…I thought he was…but then I heard his voice. It…it made me so happy and excited and…JJ I have a boyfriend! Why can he do this to me? It's not like he really cares about me…not like that, and I just…can't stop thinking about him all the time." She moaned and threw herself down on the bed on her back.

"Honey, he's a guy. It's built into his DNA to be completely clueless about feelings."

"He's not just a guy, JJ. He's a profiler. He knows everything about everyone."

"Sweetie, he is just like any other man. He may be brilliant when it comes to figuring out the lives of strangers, but when it's his own emotions, there's a great big stop sign on it. He doesn't see it, Pen , because he can't. Don't forget everything we know about him. His childhood was terrible. Between his father dying and then that asshole molesting him, he's bound to be carrying baggage. Unfortunately, most people carry that baggage into their relationships with other people."

"I hate profilers." Pen cast a dirty, pouting look at JJ, who just laughed.

"C'mon Pen. You know I'm no profiler. I just know this team inside and out. It's part of my job."

Penelope sniffed. "JJ, honestly. Do you think he cares about me? Not just as his friend or co-worker…but for real?"

JJ took Penelope's hand in hers. "I think he is so madly in love with you that you not talking to him is chipping away at his soul. Yes, Pen. He loves you, he is in love with you."

"So why won't he just say it! It's so frustrating! And why do I want him to say it? I'm happy with Kevin, Jayje. I really am. He's never throwing himself in harms way. He's not driving an ambulance full of explosives or staying with someone who has a bomb strapped to them just to give them moral support. He's safe."

"Yup…safe and boring."

"JJ! He's not boring, he's just…"

"Boring." JJ stated again bluntly. She sighed inwardly, shifting her weight. "Look, Pen, the reason you don't feel bad about loving Morgan is because deep down you know that you don't love Kevin. Kevin was a great way for you to trust a guy again, but now that you're better after the Battle incident, you're ready to go after your ultimate prize. What'd you call him last week? Your Chocolate God of Thunder?"

Pen laughed. "I love to make him speechless… it's so rare."

"Pen… you know what you need to do. Call Kevin. Then go see Morgan. He's in room.."

"437. I know, JJ. I always know where to find him."

JJ stood preparing to leave. "And, Pen… that should tell you everything you need to know."

Penelope stared as JJ silently left the room, then reached slowly for her phone.

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

"Argh! I can't believe her!" Derek stormed into his room, slamming the door behind him angrily. "Oh all the stubborn, pigheaded…" He threw himself down in the chair, glaring out the window of his hotel room.

"Morgan… can I come in?" Reid's voice followed a couple of loud raps on the door.

"I'm not in the mood for company kid." Morgan answered tiredly.

"Please, it'll only take a second."

Morgan sighed, then got up and opened the door. "Come in, Reid. What do you need?"

"Well, JJ just called me. She said that Garcia is pretty upset. I thought you might want to… I don't know… talk or something."

"No offense, kid, but how are you going to help me? Your computer brain isn't going to tell me how to fix this."

"No, but I know people, Morgan. I know you and I know Garcia. She's scared."

"Yeah, I know…but I can't fix it if she won't speak to me!"

"She doesn't want to speak to you because she knows you'll make it better. It will make her feel stupid for being angry and scared. You don't have to be a genius to know that a woman like Garcia would rather feel scared and angry than stupid any day. "

"I can't apologize for it, Reid. I won't. I saved a lot of lives today…she helped me! Why doesn't she see that?"

"Maybe because the one life she truly cares about was the one driving the ambulance?"

Morgan stared at Reid as his quiet words sunk in. "I mean, c'mon, put yourself in her shoes. Wouldn't you be upset if she had been the one in the ambulance and you were the one leading her into almost certain death?"

Morgan stared incredulously at his hands as they began to shake at the thought. "I'd turn her cute little butt over my knee and spank the living daylights out of it." He stood up. "Thanks, Reid… but I have to go now. I've got a meeting with an adorable little blond technical analyst."

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Penelope stared at the phone in her hand, crying as she hung up from one of the hardest conversations of her life. She sniffed as she heard a light knock on the door. Assuming JJ was back, she opened the door a crack and turned away.

"JJ, that was the worst conversation ever. The things Kevin just said to me…it was terrible."

"What did that little bastard say to you Penelope?"

Penelope whirled as she heard Derek's low angry voice. "Morgan…"

"Garcia… what did he do?"

"What…nothing. I deserved it, he was just reacting."

"Deserved it? Baby girl, is he hurting you? I swear, I thought you'd be safe with him. I checked him out… he was clean as a whistle. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Are you hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"Wait…wait, Derek stop!" Penelope slapped his hands away as he tried to check her over for injuries. "Kevin didn't hurt me. He's mad at me, that's all."

"Mad at you? For what?"

"That's none of your business."

"Garcia…"

"No, Derek. I'm not telling you."

"Baby girl…I need to know you're safe and happy. It's the only thing in this world that truly matters. Please, you have to talk to me."

Penelope stared at him, slightly speechless. "But…you…"

Derek smiled softly, and threw up his hands slightly. "I love you, Penelope. I took the easy way out before, in your apartment. I know you thought I meant that I love you as a friend or a kid sister, but that's not the truth. The truth is, I've loved you since the moment I laid eyes on you."

"Yeah, okay. That's why you always have some little skinny bimbo running around you." Penelope snorted angrily.

"Those women, they were camouflage. A way of hiding what I feel for you. But Garcia, they didn't mean anything, not romantically. Some are still friends, but that is it. And to be perfectly honest- I haven't slept with any of them since the day you were shot."

Penelope felt her jaw drop. "You haven't…you know…with anyone, in almost a year?"

He shrugged. "I got sick of pretending they were the one I really wanted."

Penelope slapped him in the arm. "Why didn't you ever just tell me?"

"You deserve more than me. I'll always be in danger, and I know how much it bothers you. I don't want to leave you like my…"

"Like your dad left your mom?"

"And you say you're no profiler."

"Nah…I just play one on tv." Penelope turned serious. "I need to tell you something, Derek. Whether or not we're together…I'll always worry about you. If you think that by not being with me, it's protecting me from worry, then think again. I worry every case."

"I know. I just needed to hear it from a genius, I guess."

Penelope started to laugh. "Only you would take romantic advice from Reid."

Derek grinned. "Hey our boy might be a little awkward, but trust me darlin', he knows his way around a woman's heart. He just needs the right one to see past the awkwardness and all those brains."

"Too bad a certain media liaison is still in a relationship."

"You really don't like Will, do you?"

"He's a jerk, Derek. He doesn't treat her right."

"You know you can't change it, right? I mean, they're having a baby together…that's forever."

Penelope wrinkled her nose. "Between you and me, Derek? I don't think he'll be around at all after the three a.m. wake up calls start. Call it a hunch, but I don't think he's going to stay."

"Then we'll handle it. You'll help JJ feel better, and I'll beat child support out of Will, and prove to him that the BAU takes care of its family."

"That's my tough guy."

"By the way, speaking of beatings…exactly what did that little weasel Lynch say to you?"

"Stop it, Derek. He's not a weasel. He's pissed off because I broke up with him over the phone. I know it was a crappy thing to do. I just couldn't keep up the pretense anymore. I don't love him. I told him that. He said I was stringing him along, trying to make you jealous. He called me a tease. Maybe he's right though. A part of me did date him so that you would notice. He didn't deserve to be treated the way I treated him. He's right to be angry. Promise me you won't hurt him."

"I promise he'll be treated the way he deserves to be treated."

"Derek Jakob Morgan!"

"Whoa, Baby cakes… where on earth did you find out my middle name?"

"I don't answer my phone the Office of All Knowing and All Powerful for nothing, hot stuff. I know more about you and the rest of the team than your own families do. By the way...your Chase card is almost at it's credit limit. You might want to stop downloading those e-books you like so much on that card." She grinned at his incredulous look and hugged him tightly.

"I love you, Derek."

"I love you, too Baby Girl."


	2. Chapter 2

"I want to know, Garcia."

"So profile it, profiler." Garcia grinned up at her new boyfriend.

"Cute, my little sweet thing. But you know I'll figure it out eventually. You might as well just tell me now."

"I told you, I can't say. I've been sworn to secrecy."

"That doesn't apply to me. Come on, Garcia, I've got Top Secret military clearance here. There are no secrets that I can't hear."

"Top Secret or no top secret, I'm not telling. Seriously, Derek, Hotch asked me not to let anyone else know."

"Baby Girl, you know I'll figure it out."

"So go figure, and quit messing with my troll doll!" She snatched the ugly little figure out of his hand and smoothed it's trademark yellow spiked hair.

"I thought only old bingo playing ladies used troll dolls." Derek mused aloud, silently amused.

"Ooh…keep it up, big boy. I'll freeze your computer so bad that you'll never find a way out of it. Don't push me."

Derek laughed aloud, unable to help himself. "You know, you're about the easiest thing in the world to rile, right baby?'

She smiled sweetly. "Maybe so, but…I know something you don't know." She sang the last part in a sing song voice before reminding him that he had paperwork to complete.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

"Hotch, it's Garcia. Listen, Derek really wants to know what I know. I don't know how long I can keep this from him."

"I know this is hard for you. I understand this puts you in a very difficult position. It won't be for a long period of time."

"I know, but, sir, this is really hard for me."

"Garcia. You don't have a choice here. You have to keep this from him. It's for his own good as well as for the good of the bureau. You are still a government employee."

"Yes, sir." Garcia said quietly, her heart breaking as she hung up the phone.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

"What's up with Morgan?" Emily asked Reid as she passed his cubicle.

"I don't know. He won't say anything. He just keeps staring pensively at his picture of Garcia."

"Pensively?"

"Yeah, it means dreamily or wistfully thoughtful…"

"I know what it means, Reid. I just wonder why."

"I think Garcia is involved. She's keeping something from him."

"That doesn't sound like Garcia."

"I know, but he's been in this mood all day. Plus, Hotch was in her office earlier, and ever since both he and Morgan have been moody."

"Hmmm…"

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

"Did you discuss our problem with Garcia?" David Rossi sat across from Hotch in his office.

"I did." Hotch paused. "Do you think we're doing this the right way? We could have asked another analyst."

"We need to know that they can keep their relationship separate from their jobs. This is the best way we can do that."

"And if we break them up in the process?"

Rossi laughed. "They've loved each other for longer than I've known them. Don't you remember our meeting after that first case? I asked you why you had ignored the fraternization rules. You told me that they loved each other so much they'd never ruin each other's careers. They won't break up because of this."

"I hate Erin Strauss."

"That thought is most definitely mutual."

**A/N: I know this one is awfully short. I promise the next one will be longer. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. Please keep it up!**

"You can do this Penelope. For his own good, it's for his own good." Her fingers hovered over her keyboard. "No! I can't do it." She groaned, lightly banging her head on her desk. "Damn, Hotch! I hate him right now. I ought to close all his credit cards for this." She took a deep breath. "Okay, you have to do this. I just pray he doesn't hate me." A tear ran down her cheek as she began to type.

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

Penelope walked through the bullpen, clutching a handful of papers in her hand.

"Hey, Baby Girl…"

"Not now, Derek. I need to see Hotch." She briskly walked past him, ignoring the stunned look on his face.

She half ran up the stairs, rapping quickly on Hotch's door before letting herself in. "You BASTARD!" she yelled as she let the door slam behind her. "How dare you ask me to do that? Did you know what I was going to find? Did you?"

"Garcia, calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down. First, you wouldn't let me tell Derek that you wanted me to look into his past again. Then, and you'll never make me believe you didn't already at least suspect what I was going to find, I find out that Carl Buford was murdered three weeks ago in Chicago while on a work crew. Last, and most importantly, that Derek is their number one suspect! Just because he was in Chicago three weeks ago visiting his family does NOT make him a murderer. If he'd wanted that son of a bitch dead, he'd of done it a long time ago before anyone knew what had happened to him."

"Garcia, I understand your anger and your …"

"You don't understand anything, Supervisory Special Agent Hotchner. You don't understand that I just jeopardized my entire future; my entire world for you. I did it because I thought you would have his back no matter what. Instead, I find that you confirmed all of his flight numbers and times with the Chicago P.D. No matter what happens, I will never be your vehicle to hurt him again. You can consider this my two week notice."

"You had her investigate me, Hotch? You really think I could have killed him? Justice had already been served. I may hate him, but I sure as Hell didn't kill him." Derek's voice cut through the tension as Garcia started to walk away. "And you…why wouldn't you just tell me?"

"He wouldn't let me. He didn't tell me everything, Derek. He only told me that he needed some further background information for your file. I had no idea what I was going to find."

"I've told you all before. My past is MY past. You have no right to dig around in it. I thought we had buried that the last time we were in Chicago together."

"Morgan, the fact remains that you are a murder suspect. I had to give them the information requested, because it was public knowledge. I asked Garcia to look into this because we needed all of the information available to the CPD and I knew that she was one of the only ones that could find it."

"And you couldn't just tell us both that was the plan? Why the lies, Hotch? In all the years I've known you, you've never outright lied to me. So what's different now?"

Hotch sighed heavily. "Close the door and both of you come in, please." He waited until the door was closed. "Officially, I have no idea what you are talking about. My treatment of you is the same as it always was." He took a breath, and held his hands together as he paused for a moment. "Unofficially, Director Strauss does not believe that two agents that are romantically involved can work as efficiently as they could before any relationship began. My orders were to tell you to look into Morgan's background for his file. It wasn't until I asked you to do that, that I received a call from the CPD. They stated that they had already spoken to Director Strauss and I that I would give them any information they needed. I only offered what they could easily have found out. At that point, I called the director and that's when she told me her view on interoffice romances." He sighed heavily. "She's trying to either break you up or force one or both of you to quit. Penelope, please don't give her the satisfaction of quitting."

"She's not quitting, are you sweet thing? You can't save me with your superior intellect without FBI databases. Besides, what point would there be of staying here if your voice wasn't the one I hear when I'm in trouble?"

Penelope pouted a bit then looked at Hotch. "I'm not going to apologize for calling you a bastard."

Hotch smiled. "I don't expect you to. In any case, as far as I'm concerned you passed any test Dave or I could have offered. When it came down to it, you did the bureau's work, and then compensated by saving your relationship any future harm. It's all we can ask."

"So I'm a murder suspect. Again." Derek blew out steadily. "Well, Hotch, I guess we should call the team together, huh?"

"Are you okay with that, Derek? I know after the last time how much your privacy means to you. If you would prefer, I can give you and Garcia emergency leave to figure this out."

"You know what, Hotch? I had so many secrets before. But you all figured them out the last time. All except one. And I admitted to that one myself when I told Penelope how much I love her. The team is my second family. I'm okay with family helping family."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Sorry for the delays!! Lots of illness and injuries around here prevented me from getting this one up. **

"Okay, settle down everyone. I'm going to let Morgan start this one." Hotch sat at the war room table, allowing Morgan the floor.

Morgan took a long deep breath. "So… it seems I have two problems. First, Director Strauss is on a mission to make either Garcia or I quit the BAU. Second…" He paused and looked at Penelope. She nodded and gave his hand a small squeeze in reassurance. He cleared his throat. "Second is, Carl Buford is dead. The CPD thinks I killed him. We need to go back to Chicago."

"What? But we proved you innocent before, why would you be a suspect now?" JJ answered quietly.

"He has motive." Rossi answered.

"But that's crazy! So did the other 37 other victims that Carl Buford molested, why aren't they looking at them?" Emily protested.

"Because the other 37 victims aren't high profile FBI agents that have bomb squad experience." Reid stated solemnly.

"How did you know it was a bomb, Reid? No one said that?"

"Garcia… I have an IQ of over 200 with an endemic memory, little bits of information seep their way into my brain and I connect them. Last week, the national news channels were all broadcasting about a bomb that killed 7 prisoners on a work crew in Chicago. I connected the dots."

"Plus, I was in Chicago last week for my nephew's baptism. I have motive, means… any profile would point right at me."

"Profiles can be wrong." Hotch said flatly.

"So how do we fix this? I mean… basically we have to hand the CPD another suspect, right?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, that's exactly what we need to do. Emily, you and Rossi need to talk to the CPD. They may be able to help us on this. Skip the detective working the case, we know he's got issues with Morgan anyway. Go directly to Chief Nelson. He'll be fair and give you any information we need. JJ and Reid, you're going to need to talk to Derek's family. We need an airtight alibi. Start tracing all the steps he took while in Chicago. Derek, if you took so much as a ten minute walk by yourself, we need to know that, so make us a timeline. Penelope, start looking into the other victims. See if any of them have any known criminal records or if they have bomb experience. Somewhere there is a murderer willing to let Morgan go down for murder. We don't touch another case until we know who and why."

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

"I don't understand, why is this happening again? Who could hate my baby this much? He didn't kill that miserable bastard. He wouldn't even let me do it!" Derek's sister, Sarah cried as she protested her brother's innocence to Reid and JJ.

"We know he didn't do it, Sarah. We just have to prove it."

"Was there anyone who stands out to you as someone who really has it in for Derek?"

"Detective Gordinski…Rodney… Derek is a good guy. He just doesn't have enemies!"

"We all have enemies, some people just show their hatred better than others." JJ glanced over at Reid's statement, seeing a familiar zoned out look in his eyes. It was the same one he always had when he was wrestling with the weight of his own intelligence.

Cmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcmcm

"Argh!" Penelope tossed her earpiece on the desk uncomfortably.

"What's the matter sugar sweet? "

"There's nothing here. These guys, they're just normal guys! Other than a few traffic violations or drunk and disorderlies, there's not even any hint of criminal activities."

"There's nothing that indicates bomb knowledge or military histories?"

"I have 3 Marines, 2 Air Force and a Navy, but so far, nothing that indicates any specialized training in bombs or demoltiions."

"Special Forces are classified, do you have clearance to dig?"

Penelope stared at Morgan incredulously. "Are you serious? I don't need clearance. I have talents."

"Sorry, sorry…stupid question."

"How are you doing on the time line?"

He sighed, running his fingers over his scalp roughly. "I don't know… I've written everything I can think of, but I'm still missing gaps. I have hours that are unaccounted for. I just don't remember all of it. I go home to relax with my family. I don't keep track of things."

"We're going to figure this out, Derek. I promise we will."

"If anyone can, I know the team will."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Again sorry for the delays. I'm hitting a tiny bit of a road block in my thinking, but hopefully I have it fixed now. Thank you to everyone that has reviewed. **

"So, basically, you're investigation is pointing towards Derek because of his bomb squad experience?"

"Special Agent Rossi, we are fully aware that this is hard for you and your team. However, all of our evidence points to a person with knowledge of either police work or military specialties in bomb experience. When you add that to the fact that one of the victims just happens to be one of the men convicted of child molestation and murder, and that Derek was one of the victims that didn't get his own justice because of the statute…it leads to your man."

"With all due respect, Chief Nelson, regardless of where your evidence is pointing you, we know that Derek didn't commit this crime. We intend to find out who did." Emily stated firmly.

"To be perfectly honest, Agent Prentiss, I don't want to find evidence that Agent Morgan committed this crime. I've always admired him, personally. But personal feelings have no place in this investigation. If he is guilty, he will pay for his crime." He paused. "That being said, I welcome your assistance in finding more suspects. Unfortunately, my detectives…well, to say they're biased is like saying the Pacific Ocean is a little wet."

"Understood, and Chief Nelson, we appreciate it." Rossi stated firmly as they turned to leave.

"Agents… there's one thing you should know. We did have one more suspect. A very good suspect, except that she is the mayor's daughter…and a city councilor. Our hands are a bit…tied to say the least. Michelle Ramirez. That's really all I can say."

"Thank you, Chief. We'll check it out." Emily said almost giddily.

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

"Michelle Ramirez… R.A.M.I.R.E.Z."

"I got it, Emily. Let's see what this little princess has on her." Garcia said smugly. Emily could hear the clacking of the keyboard in the background. "Got her. Let's see… city councilor voted in with a 67th percentile popular vote. Father is Jorge Ramirez, Mayor of Chicago. She did 4 years at Wesleyan, then grad school at Columbia. Great GPA in both, graduated Summa Cum Laude from both. No criminal record except for a few traffic violations. Wait… in 2001 she was charged with vehicular manslaughter, but the charges were dropped when suddenly the victim's family moved away. Seems they got a large cash advance… like 6 figures."

"But why would any of that cause Chief Nelson to suspect her for Buford's murder?"

"I don't know… from what it looks like there's no connection."

"There has to be one. The Chief is a friend of our boy, Garcia. He wants us to find something."

"I don't know, Em… I can't find anything. I'll keep looking."

"So will we."

"Be careful… if her father is the mayor and she's on the city council, you may find a whole lot of doors being slammed in your faces."

"We can handle it."

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

"So, Gordinski still thinks Derek is capable of this?" Fran Morgan demanded of JJ.

"It seems that way, ma'am."

"Fran… please, call me Fran. Anyone fighting so hard to save my baby boy gets to use my first name."

"Okay, Fran… Can you think of any reason why they would believe this of Derek?"

"Just because he's on a bomb squad doesn't make him a bomb happy psycho. Why can't they ever see him at his best instead of assuming his worst? They don't see him with the neighborhood kids. They don't see him offering his business card to the poor boys in this community for help getting out of their lives. It's ridiculous!"

"Sarah! Stop that right now. These people aren't with the CPD. They aren't Gordinski. And they know who Derek is." Fran scolded her outspoken daughter.

"Sarah… we're here to prove once and for all that Derek is innocent. But to do that, we need your help. We need to build a timeline. We need irrefutable timelines of his time here, so that we can prove that while Buford was being killed and that bomb was being set, that Derek could have been nowhere near there."

"Doctor Reid, will our words honestly hold up, or will it just look like we're creating an alibi?"

"Spencer, please. To answer your question, in 43% of cases, alibis given by family members are patently false, however out of that 43% almost 28% are never proven inconclusively to be false." He paused after JJ shot him an irritated look. "No, in most cases, family alibis are as solid as one given by another cop."

"In that case, Derek was with me for every second that he was here." Sarah emphatically stated.

"Sarah, we know your brother probably as well as you. One thing we know is that he would never allow you to perjure yourself on his behalf."

Sarah sighed. "Fine, he was with me for most of the week, but he went to the center a few times. He was gone a few hours each time."

"Okay, so that's easily documented. Thank you Sarah."

"JJ?" Sarah called as they turned to leave. "Thank you for being there for my brother. He's so big and bad that he thinks he doesn't need anyone to have his back. He's wrong. He needs all of us… his family…and his other family."

JJ paused, then smiled. "We take care of our family, Sarah. We'll take care of Derek, I promise."

Sarah nodded. "Tell him we love him."

"We will. We'll be in touch okay?" At Sarah's nod, Reid and JJ walked away.

"JJ…why do you think Morgan goes back to the center. I mean, it can't be easy." Reid asked as they headed to the SUV.

"Reid… He goes to make sure that all of the good things Buford created aren't destroyed because of all of the terrible things Carl did. Remember…he said the community would take care of it…that he would. Morgan doesn't break things, he fixes them."

Reid laughed abruptly. "All except the doors he breaks…those he doesn't fix."

JJ snorted humorously. "This is true… I wonder how many doors he's broken down since he's been in the BAU."

"That is a number too large for even me to contemplate."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Okay, so my new plan is to have all of my stories finished by the end of March 2012. I know that several of these stories have been hanging in limbo for years, and I apologize for the HUGE delays. Thank you to all of the readers that have hung in there with me, and to all the new readers I may pick up. You guys are the best! Please read and review. Let me know what you think!

{}

"Derek, I just found something kinda interesting on Michelle Ramirez." Penelope quickly input.

"Whatcha got, Baby Girl?"

"Her light bill, cable bill and internet all are in two names, hers and a man named Jackson Smyll. When I ran a check on him…wowza. He's got a record longer than Mike Tyson, and just as nasty."

"What's his record?"

"That just it, he's got arrests for everything… I mean, he started out at 17 with an armed robbery. He's been arrested for DUI, vagrancy, public intoxication, public indecency, assault and battery, breaking and entering, and sexual assault. Oh, and he also was caught with kiddie porn on his computer."

"So how long is he serving?"

"That's the interesting part. All of the charges since he was 22 have been dropped. He only served time for the armed robbery. All of the other charges were dropped, due to either lack of evidence, police ineptitude, or witnesses refusing to testify."

"Hmm… Sounds like he's got some money and power backing him. Send all that to Hotch's phone. They are going to want to interview him."

"Really, hot stuff… I sent it like three minutes ago. Who do you think you are dealing with here, a newbie?"

Morgan leaned down close and whispered in her ear. She immediately blushed and slapped his arm playfully. "Derek Morgan, you are dangerous."

{}

"Derek Morgan is dangerous. I told you that before. I don't know why you are all so surprised by this, but…"

"Derek Morgan is an innocent man, convicted by your own hate and personal prejudice. He did not commit the crimes you accused him of in the past, nor did he commit them this time. Having bomb squad experience does not make a person a bomber. Or did you want to also have us do a background check on your entire bomb squad? What secrets do you think we would find out if we did?"

Detective Gordinski sneered at Hotch. "My men are not under investigation. Yours is."

"Your men are under investigation as of now. I am having my technical analyst go over each of their backgrounds. Be warned, I am duty bound to report anything that we find that may have gotten swept under the rug. We will find your killer, Detective. Just like we did the last time we were here." Hotch's voice was cold, icy with his determination.

"My men don't have criminal records. Yours does. What does that say about your 'team' Agent Hotchner."

"It says that I have the best possible men and women working with me. It means that they are honorable and most of all human. They have made mistakes, sure. We all have. But they have pulled themselves out of the quagmire they were stuck in and have become better for it."

"You have no idea…" Detective Gordinski trailed off as Hotch stood and left without another word.

Rossi caught Hotch outside the door. "That didn't go well, I take it?"

"We're on our own, Dave. In their minds, Derek has already been tried and convicted." Hotch began briskly walking down the stairs, as he pulled out his phone. "Garcia, it's Hotch. I got the info on Jackson Smyll. Now I need you to run a check on the entire Chicago Police Department. Pay close attention to the Bomb Squad. Gordinski wanted a war, now he's got one."

Penelope stared at Derek in shock. "Uh, yes, sir. I'll get right on that. What am I looking for?"

"Anything you can find. I want criminal histories, any IA investigations, plus copies of their jackets. I want to know what skeletons they might be hiding."

{}

"Wow… The Chicago PD is made up of over 300 officers! This is going to take forever." Penelope groaned, slipping off her glasses and rubbing her nose.

"Baby Girl, relax. Just start with the bomb squad, then go from there. You might want to do Gordinski's unit next. After that just go alphabetically. Can I help?"

Penelope gave him a tired smile. "Yeah, when we get home, I want a back rub."

"Oh, I'll rub anything you want, sweetheart."

"You are such a tease!" She giggled, then turned her attention to the bleeping computer. "Oh, here's something interesting. Derek, call Hotch, he's gonna want to hear this."

{}

"Is Jackson Smyll home?" Emily asked at the door of the penthouse apartment address Garcia had given them.

"Um, he's not home from work yet. What is this about?" a young girl answered, not moving from the door.

"We're from the FBI, and we have a few questions for him." Reid answered quietly.

"He should be home soon." The girl answered.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Jessi…"

"Jessica, how many times do I have to tell you not to answer the door!" A tall slender brunette pushed the girl out of the way. "Can I help you?"

"Ma'am, are you Michelle Ramirez?" Emily asked politely.

"Yes, who's asking?"

"My name is Emily Prentiss, this is Dr. Spencer Reid. We are from the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI. We are in town investigating a bombing, and we have a few questions for Jackson Smyll."

"He's not here right now. He's at work."

"Could we wait inside for him, ma'am? We also have a few questions for you."

"I…My daughter is home right now. I don't want her upset."

"No, Ma'am. We will not say anything to upset your daughter. We just have a few questions that relate your position as city councilor."

"Oh, well, yes, come in, then."

Reid looked at Emily briefly as they shared a look of tension. This was obviously not going to go well.a


End file.
